Signal mechanism.



'PATENTBD APR. 25, 1905.

J. G. WALDO.

SIGNAL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 001.19, 1903.

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mvsn'ron yuzs sssi FIELL PATENTED APR. 25, 1905.

J G. WALDO.

SIGNAL MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OOT.19, 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented April 25, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. IVALDO, OF SHARPSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- FOURTH TOJOHN J. FORSTER, OF AVALON, PENNSYLVANIA.

SIGNAL MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,385, dated April25, 1905.

Application filed October 19, 1903- Serial No. 177,687.

To all whmn it Huey concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES C. l/VALDo, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sharpsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and usefulImprovementsin Signal Mechanism, of which improvements the following isa specification.

' The invention described herein relates to certain improvements insignal -operating mechanism especially applicable for use on electricrailways.

It is customary in lines to haveasingletrack and turnouts at intervalswhere cars can pass one another. At certain times of the day more carswill be passing in one direction than the other. Hence provision must bemade whereby an opposing car maybe given an indication of clear track.

The invention described herein has for its object a construction ofmechanism whereby the signals are operated positively from clear todanger, and vice versa.

It is a further object of theinvention to provide for setting the signalin the proper position by the first car of a series and its maintenancein such position with the last car of such series has passed a givenpoint.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

. In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved signal, the frontof thecasing being removed. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the operation ofthe signals, the front of the casing and other portions being removed.

In the practice of my invention the semaphore-blades 1 and 2 are securedupon shafts 3 and 4, mounted in suitable hearings on the frame 5. On thesame shafts are secured arms 6 and 7, each provided with a notch orrecess for engagement with toes or projections 8 and 9 on the peripheryof a Wheel 10. The arms 6 and 7 are so constructed as regards lengthcesses 10 on each side of the projections 8 and 5 9. By reason of thisconstruction the semaphore-blades are securely locked in either of thepositions to which they are shifted by the bearing of the arms upon theperiphery of the wheel 10.

On the shaft 12, carrying the wheel 10, is also mounted a toothed wheel13, and on opposite sides of this wheel are mounted movable heads ll and15, each provided with a tooth 16, adapted to engage the teeth of thewheel 13. These heads are loosely connected to operating-rods 17 and 18,which can be shifted by any suitable form of motor-such, for example, assolenoids 20 and 21-Which have their cores formed by the rods 17 and 618. This mechanism as regards the toothed wheel and the operating-headsis substantially similar to the construction shown and described inapplication Serial No. 177,684, filed October 19, 1903. In order toprevent any accidental movement of the shaft 12 and the parts carriedthereby, levers 22 and 23 are mounted on the frame of the machine andprovided with teeth 24, adapted to engage the teeth on the periphery.These teeth 24 are so constructed as to permit the rotation of the wheelin one direction, but to lock it as against movement in the oppositedirection, so that when both the levers are down no movement of thewheel or parts operated thereby can be effected. The lever 22, which hasits tooth so arranged as to prevent movement of the wheel while inengagement therewith in a direction to be actuated by the head 14, isadapted to be raised by suitable means on the head 14: when the latteris moved upward by these solenoids, thus releasing the wheel. The sameconstruction is found in regard to the head 15 and the lever 23 with itstooth. lonvenient means for shifting the levers 22 and 23 consist ofloops let and 15 on the heads 14 and 15, engaging the ends of thelevers, as shown in Fig. 2.

In order to give the proper indication at night, the short ends of thesemaphore are provided with colored lenses, red and green, which willwhen the signals are properly shifted pass in frontof a white lens inthe front of the box or case. It is preferred to employ electric lightsfor illuminating the lens, said lights being arranged in connection withother lights to form suitable resistances in the light-circuit.

In the practice of my invention two of the signals, as shown, will bearranged at each end of each turnout of the line, and a signal at oneturnout will be connected to the red signal at the next turnout. By thisarrangement a car passing onto one turnout will set behind it a green orcaution signal, indicating to a following car that the track ahead isoccupied, and at the next succeeding turnout the red signal will bedisplayed, indicating to a car moving in the opposite direction that thegauntlet between the two turnouts is occupied. After a signal has beenonce set by a car it will not be affected by succeeding cars moving inthe same direction; but the signal mechanism may operate after shiftingthe signal one step forward or in the same direction as the firstimpulse for each car. Hence it will be necessary in order to restore thesignals to normal or clear position for all the cars which have operatedthe signal mechanism at one turnout to operate it in reverse directionat the next turnout, the signal itself being shifted only bythe lastcar.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. In a signal apparatus, thecombination of two signal-oscillating shafts, and means for operatingsaid shafts in succession but in opposite directions, substantially asset forth.

2. In a signal apparatus, the combination of two signal-oscillatingshafts, means for operating said shafts in succession but in oppositedirections, and means for positively locking the shafts when shifted,substantially as set forth.

3. In a signal apparatus, the combination of two signal-operatingshafts, a disk provided with means for engaging both shafts andmechanism for imparting step-by-step movements to said disk,substantially as set forth.

4. In a signal apparatus, the combination of two signal-operatingshafts, each provided with a notched arm, a disk provided with teetharranged to engage the notches in said arms, said arms normally restingon the periphery of the disk and thereby locking the shaft as againstaccidental rotation, substantially as set forth.

5. In a signal apparatus the combination of two signal-operating shafts,a disk provided with means for engaging said shafts, a ratchetwheelmounted on the shaft with the disk and two reciprocating heads arrangedon opposite sides of the wheel and provided with teeth for engagementwith the wheel, substantially as set forth.

6. In a signal mechanism of the character stated, a rotatable member,lock devices cooperating therewith to hold-said member from rotation, asemaphore operable by said rotatable member,electromagnetically-operating means adapted on its initial movement torelease the lock devices and upon further movement to impart rotarymotion to said rotatable member, said electromagnetically-operatingmeans and said rotatable member having a ratchet-and-pawl connection,for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES C. \VALDO.

Witnesses:

DARWIN S. VVOLCOTT, F. E. GAITHER.

